First.. Brush?

A one-shot by .OkamixHagi

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story (they are owned by Tite Kubo) or the lyrics used in the sentence below (an excerpt of Love Slave by Under17).

Hold your hand, touch and feel, gnaw and taste, through the night..

Soft breathing and rustling could be heard through Ichigo's closet. Occasionally, soft sighs eased out. Rukia couldn't sleep that night.

"You little midget! Come back here!" Ichigo shouted as he chased her around the park. His and Rukia's backpacks were resting against a tree as they both ran.

"It's your fault for not helping me to open my drink!" Rukia shouted back, laughing. "Those milk cartons are really tricky!"

"They aren't tricky! Anyways, you didn't have to hit me with it! My hair probably still smells like that nasty strawberry stuff!"

"It's not NASTY!" Rukia grabbed a rock from beneath her and threw it at the spiky-haired boy. He caught it easily in mid-air, both of them never slowing.

"Don't throw rocks at me! That's dangerous!" He yelled, anger growing. The anger gave him a burst of energy, and he launched himself at his victim. "Got you, runt!" At the same time, Rukia was turning to throw another rock with a laughing smile on her face. Ichigo, not stopping, collided with her small frame.

Their lips brushed, ever so lightly, but they both felt it. They tumbled onto the grass, off the rocky path. Both right hands shot up to the lips of their respective owners, and for a moment they stared at each other. Ichigo broke the stare. He got up, coughing, and turned around, trying to hide whatever expression he had on his face.

"Um, we should go now. I'm, err, getting hungry. From all the running." Rukia gave him a silent nod and they both picked up their bags and headed home, the distance between them growing and shrinking unevenly the whole way.

Ichigo shut his eyes as tight as he could, waiting impatiently for sleep to take him to ease his racing mind. He touched his lips lightly. I guess that would be my first kiss.. Hah, if you could even call it a kiss. Ichigo's lips just barely brushed hers. Yes, that was it, it wasn't a kiss. It was a brush. So why did he feel so disappointed?

"Agh!" He groaned quietly. He kicked off part of the covers, hoping it would help him sleep. Then, he heard light footsteps behind him. He turned to see Rukia in her yellow pajamas.

"Can't sleep?" She asked with an unreadable, possibly nervous, expression. "I can't either. Maybe it's someone's spirit pressure." It was an unlikely explanation, but possible. Ishida had been put in charge of Costumes by Inoue for the school's Romeo and Juliet play, and all day everyone seemed infected by his blazing happiness. They both knew, though, that that wasn't the reason for their restlessness.

"Mm." Ichigo answered, turning his head back away again. He swallowed a strange lump in his throat and urged his heart to stop dazing his brain.

"I.. Can I sleep here?" Rukia waited for the non-existent reply. "I thought I could sleep better." A moment passed, and she decided to just lie down. The two lay there, backs almost touching. No, this is worse. They both thought.

Rukia shifted her leg, trying to get as comfortable as possible. Her foot connected accidentally with the lower part of Ichigo's right thigh. "Sorry." She apologized, though she didn't move her foot.

Ichigo froze, then bent his right knee back. Rukia swallowed, then slowly brushed her foot back and met Ichigo's. They lay there for a while, their feet brushing against each other's tenderly. Rukia could feel the rough calluses that had grown on his feet, and Ichigo could feel the smoothness of hers. Not being able to hold it down anymore, he turned his lamp on and faced Rukia. Rukia noticed the movement and turned to face him.

"That, the thing that happened in the park.. Was that your first ki-.. Ki.. Damn it, you know!" He blurted. Rukia was at first surprised at his question, but she relaxed and replied.

"My first? Well, I wouldn't call it a kiss, but if it we did, then yes, it was."

"Oh. It's, erm, just been bugging me. Yeah, I guess you wouldn't. .. Ru-.." He sighed sharply, then leaned towards Rukia sharply, bringing his lips to hers. As quickly as it had started, it ended and Ichigo clicked off the light and turned back around. "Good night!"

"G-good night." Rukia lay there for a while, wondering what just happened. Then she blushed, and for the second time that day, touched her lips. She reached out her hand and intertwined it with Ichigo's, which was resting behind the orange-haired boy. Finally turning around, she whispered one last "good night". Still, even after considering every that happened, and the satisfaction in their hearts, none of them slept that night.

Okami: Kyaa ~. I'm sorry if they may seem a little OOC. But I had to get rid of the IchiRuki inside me begging to be let through. I wish they would just DO SOMETHING! Hug, kiss, brush against each other's arms or something! Gah! They never do anything! Just the same-old, steady stare that obviously means, I-3-you-but-because-it-doesn't-really-fit-well-with-show-I-can't-do-anything-but-stare-so-just-bear-with-this-'we-understand-each-other'-stare.

Lol. So, please r/r, and visit my other stories. Stories labeled 'LEMON' are not mine, but my sister's (pen name lemon_eee123, she's too lazy to start her account..) so do not go to them if you don't like lemons! The other stories are fine though ^^. Hope you enjoy them. Aroooooo ~ !

-Okami

P.S. If you are wondering about the lyrics, yes, it is gnaw and taste. Don't ask why. It just is..